Engine Damage: Diesel fuel has a higher cetane number and lower volatility than petrol. This means that diesel fuel requires higher compression for ignition, which can put excessive strain on the petrol engine's components, particularly the pistons, piston rings, and connecting rods. This can lead to premature wear and failure of these components.
Fuel System Damage: Diesel fuel is not compatible with the fuel system components of a petrol car. The fuel pump, fuel injectors, fuel lines, and carburettor (if present) are all designed for petrol. Diesel fuel can damage these components, leading to fuel leaks, injector failure, and carburettor malfunction.
Reduced Performance: Diesel fuel has a lower energy density than petrol, meaning it contains less energy per unit volume. As a result, a petrol car running on diesel will have reduced power and fuel efficiency compared to running on petrol.
Exhaust System Damage: Diesel fuel produces more soot and particulate matter during combustion than petrol. This can clog the catalytic converter and diesel particulate filter (if present), compromising their ability to reduce harmful emissions. Additionally, running a petrol car on diesel can cause increased exhaust smoke and unpleasant odours.
Starting Issues: Petrol engines rely on spark plugs to ignite the air-fuel mixture, while diesel engines use compression ignition. Diesel fuel may not vaporize properly in a petrol engine, making it difficult to start or causing the engine to run rough.
Overall, putting diesel into a petrol car can lead to severe engine damage, fuel system failure, reduced performance, exhaust system problems, and starting issues. The severity of these consequences depends on factors such as the vehicle type, the amount of diesel used, and the duration of running on diesel.
